Washing-machine



(No Model.)

S. O. MORTIMER.

I WASHING MACHINE. No. 329,760. Patented Nov. 3, 1.885.

IIIIIII IIIIIII jiliiiliiiiw I UNITED TATES STEPHEN O. MORTIMER, OF FORT\VAYNE, INDIANA.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 329,760, dated November3, 1885.

Application filed January 29, 1985. Serial No. 154,830.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN G. MORTIMER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fort \Vayne, Allen county, Indiana, have invented new anduseful Improvements in \Vashing- Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to washing apparatus of that class wherein thecleansing is effected by means of a rapid agitation of the cloth ing inand through the water, and the purpose thereof is to provide mechanismfor such purpose which shall be simple in organization and effective inoperation, and wherein the result sought may be accomplished with theleast possible expenditure of labor.

It is the purpose, also, of my invention to so construct the apparatusthat it may be readily removed from or attached to an ordinary tub, andto give access'thereto without disturbance of the mechanism.

The invention consists in the several novel features of construction andcombination of parts hereinafter fully set forth, and, definitelypointed out in the claims annexed to this specification.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is acentral vertical section, theshaft and its actuating-sleeve and the agitator being shown inelevation. Fig. 2 is a detail view showing the manner of connecting theshaft and sleeve. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of Fig. 1 in the plane00 m. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of the lever-support detached.

In the said drawings, the reference-numeral 1 indicates a tub or othersuitable vessel,

which may be of any suitable size or form,

though it is preferably round. If desired, this tub may be mounteduponlegs 2, or placed upon a stand of any kind, to raise it from thefloor and avoid the necessity of stooping on the part of the operator.\Vithin the tub or vessel 1 is placed a cage, 3, composed of an annulus,4, lying adjacent to the bottomof the tub, and connected with a disk, 5,which is substantially flush with its top, by means of bars 6, placed atsuitable intervals. The bot tom of the cage is formed of strips 7, setin or attached to the inner edge of the annulus 4, and having theirupper faces rounded off to avoid the presence of sharp wearing-edges.This cage, when placed in the tub, may be (No model.)

connected thereto by hooks 8, pivoted and engaging with eyes 9 upon thetub. Within the disk 5 is formed a central opening closed by a lid, 10,which may be fastened down by a turn-button, 11. Upon the lid 10, at ornear its central point, is mounted a vertical shaft, 12, formed of iron,having its upper end supported by ayoke-bearing, 13, mounted on the lid.This shaft has a shoulder, 14, which rests upon a flat bearing, 15, thelower portion of said shaft passing through the lid and 6X tending alittle below it. That portion ofthe shaft lying between the shoulder 14and the yoke bearing 13 is provided with spiral grooves l6,of suitablepitch, and these grooves receive the ends of studs 17, projecting fromthe inner face of a sleeve, 18, which surrounds and moves freelyuponthis portion of the shaft. In front of the shaft 12, and mountedupon the lid 10, is a bail, 19, having its out wardly-turned ends set inbearings 20, of any suitable form. Upon this bail, which rises to themiddle portion of the threaded shaft, or thereabout, is pivotallymounted a lever, 21, having a fork, 22, upon its end, which is pivotedupon the sleeve 18, upon opposite sides thereof. Upon the lower end ofthe shaft, which lies within the cage, is mounted a rectangular block,23, extending nearly to the bottom of the cage, having vertical slots 24upon opposite sides thereof, which extend nearly to the lower end of theblock. Upon the part 23 is mounted a disk, 25, having free verticalmovement thereon, and provided with solid portions 26, which move in theslots 24. To this disk are firmly attached any suitable number of pinsor bars, 27, projecting downward ly and outwardly,and preferably of suchlength that when the disk is at its lowest point of adjustment the endsof said bars will lie below the lower end of the block 23, and not farabove the bottom of the cage.

The operation of the device is as follows: The cage being placed in atub, water or water and soap and other cleansing substance are placedtherein in suitable quantities, the cage being prevented from floatingupward by the hooks 8. The clothing is then introduced and the lid 10closed and fastened, when by reciprocating the lever 21 a rapid rotaryreciprocation is imparted to thedisk 25, the bars 27 catching indifferent parts of the fabrics and dragging them with great rapidity andforce through the fluid, thereby producing a violent and thoroughagitation of the mass, which speedily and thoroughly cleanses theclothes. The disk has automatic vertical adjustment on the block 23,according to the bulk of water and clothing contained within the cage.To prevent it from binding upon the block, aguiding-piece, 28, may beattached to the top of the disk. The slats or strips in the bottom ofthe cage, and the bars 6, are rounded to avoid wearing the clothesinjuriously, and at the same time to provide a rubbing-surface uponwhich the clothes may move and by which the cleansing process isaccelerated. The bail 19, having pivotal mounting in its bearings 20,admits of the rocking movement which is necessary to throw the sleeveend to end of the shaft without binding. The operative parts being allmounted on or supported by the lid 10, the latter may be opened and theagitator 25 swung out through the opening without difficulty, therebygiving free access to the vessel at all times.

I prefer to make the threaded portion of the shaft and theactuating-sleeve of metal; but the disk, the lid 10, and all parts belowthe same are made of wood,'to avoid staining the clothing by theformation of oxide of iron.

What I claim is 1. [11 a washing-machine, the combination, with avertical shaft carrying an agitator, and having spiral threads formed onits periphery, of a sleeve moving thereon and provided with studsengaging with such threads, and a lever pivoted to said sleeve andfulcrumed upon a support having pivotal bearing upon the machine,substantially as described.

2. In a washing-machine, the combination,

with a vertical shaft having spiral threads formed upon its periphery,of a sleeve having studs which engage with said threads, a leveractuating said sleeve, and an agitator mounted upon a rectangular blockcarried by the shaft, and having automatic vertical adjustment thereon,substantially as described.

3. In a washing-machine, the combination, with a cage constructedsubstantially as described, and having a top provided with a hinged lid,of a spirally-threaded shaft having bearing on and passing through saidlid, a rectangular block carried by the lower end of said shaft, andhaving vertical slots which receive splines upon a disk mounted on saidblock, a sleeve having studs running in the threads of the shaft, alever pivoted to said sleeve, and a bail upon which said lever isfulcrumed, said bail having pivotal bearings upon the lid of the cage,substantially as described.

4. In a washing-machine, the combination, with a cage composed of aslatted bottom, open sides, and a top, of a tub or other vessel whichreceives said cage, a lid hinged in the top of the cage, a verticalshaft passing through the lid, an automatically-adjustable agitatorcarried by said shaft, a sleeve having studs running in spiral groovesin the shaft, and a lever actuating said sleeve and having its fulcrumpivotally supported upon the 1id, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

S. C. MORTIMER.

lVitnesses:

CHAS. E. J ONES, F. H. WOLKE.

